Balloon toys



Aug. 22, 1961 M. BERLOW BALLOON TOYS Filed Sept. 1. 1960 I N VEN TOR.

MAU RICE BER LOW ATTORNEY United States Patent M 2,996,834 BALLOON TOYS Maurice Berlow, 305 Saratoga Ave., Brooklyn 33, N.Y.' Filed Sept. '1, 1960, Ser. No. 53,459 6 Claims. (Cl. 46-88) This invention relates to balloon toys and more particularly to balloons adapted to be discharged into the air, which are provided with a weighted end upon which the balloon will always land when falling to the ground.

An object of the present invention is the provision of new and useful improvements in such toys whereby an explosive paper cap of the type commonly used in childrens cap pistols may be suitably positioned in the toy so that when it strikes the ground the cap will explode and hence emit an explosive sound to the amusement of the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the type mentioned above, which is very simple in construction and operation and inexpensive in cost of manufacture.

The above broad as well as more specific objects will be clarified in the following description wherein reference numerals refer to like-numbered parts on the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended primarily for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an inflated balloon toy embodying features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the toy, with parts broken away and partly in section.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view substantially similar to FIG. 2. but showing a slightly modified construction as well as showing the releasable trigger cock in withdrawn position ready for insertion of an explosive paper cap into the device.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the manner in which the balloon toy is grasped prior to discharging it into the air.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates an inflated balloon which is inflated through an opening, not shown, at the top, which opening is then sealed by tying that end of the balloon in a knot 11.

The lower end of the balloon is so constructed that it provides a reduced portion or neck 12 when inflated. FIG. 2 shows a ball or sphere 13 which is anchored in the lower sealed end of the neck 12. The ball 13 is preferably of larger diameter than the inflated neck 12, as shown, and the lower end of the neck around the lower portion of the ball is sealed, as by a cement or adhesive 14 in a cylindrical recess 15 on top of a member 16. The ball may be made of any suitable material so long as it adds weight of suflicient amount to the lower end of the balloon.

The member 16, which may be termed, a cradle, has an upper cup-shaped portion 17 which contains the recess 15, from which depending diametrically opposed arms 18 extend downwardly and converge upon diametrically opposite sides of a sleeve 19. Slidably mounted in the sleeve 19 is a stem 20 provided with an enlarged head 21 2,996,834 Patented Aug. 22, 1961 the top of which is a flat surface at right angles to the stein. A coiled spring 22a surrounding the stern between. the sleeve 19 and the stem head 21 normally urges the, latter upward against the lower surface 22 of the por-' tion or cup 17. The said lower surface of the cup 17 is also flat and at right angles to the stem 20.

In order to insert a paper explosive cap 23 between the surface 22 and the head 21, the lower end of the stem 20, which extends through the sleeve 19, is grasped and pulled outward from the sleeve, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In order to discharge the balloon into the air, the neck thereof is grasped as illustrated in FIG. 4 and stretched. Upon release of the lower end of the neck an instant before releasing the upper end thereof, the contraction of the neck will cause the balloon to discharge into the air. Owing to the weighted lower end of the neck 12, the lower protruding end of the stem 20 will always strike the ground first and upon such impact the paper cap 23 will explode.

In the modification shown in FIG. 3, parts which are identical to parts described above bear the same reference numeral. The only difference between this modification and the form illustrated in the other figures of the drawing, is that instead of a sphere 13 at the bottom of the neck 12 a disc 24 is substituted. This disc, with the lower end of the neck12 closely fitting around its lower and side portions, is nested in the recess 15 and may also be cemented, not shown, or frictionally fitted in the recess. The functioning of the modified form is identical to that previously described.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the structures illustrated in the drawing, it is to be understood that such 'as not to be construed as a limitation upon the invention which is best defined by the appended claims.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A balloon toy comprising an inflatable balloon of elastic material including a reduced neck extending from the lower end thereof, a weighted member secured within the neck at the lower extremity thereof, a cradle comprising a cup-shaped member having a recess in the top thereof and a substantially flat surface on the bottom thereof, said lower extremity of the neck with the weighted member therein registering in and being secured in said recess, circumferentially spaced arms depending from the cup-shaped member having the lower ends of the arms converging, a sleeve positioned axially with respect to the cup-shaped member below the same, said lower ends of the arms being joined to said sleeve, a stem slidably mounted in said sleeve having an enlarged head positioned between the sleeve and the cup-shaped member and having the lower end thereof projecting beyond said sleeve, and resilient means normally urging the stem upward. to engage said head with said flat surface, the toy being adapted to have an explosive paper cap mounted between said head and said surface.

2. A balloon toy according to claim 1, said resilient means comprising a coiled spring surrounding said stem between said sleeve and said surface.

3. A balloon toy according to claim 2, said weighted member comprising a disc.

4. A balloon toy according to claim 2, said weighted member comprising a sphere.

5. A balloon toy comprising an inflatable balloon of elastic material having means for discharging the balloon into the air when inflated and for positioning the balloon substantially upright during descent thereof to the ground, said means comprising a reduced neck extending from the lower end of the balloon, a weighted cradle secured to the lower extremity of said neck and having means therein receptive of an explosive paper cap for exploding the cap upon impact of the cradle with the ground, the inflated balloon being adapted to be discharged into the air by a person by stretching said neck between the two 4 hands and then releasing first the lower end of the neck and an instant later the upper end of the neck.

6. A balloon toy according to claim 1, said circumferentially spaced depending arms being two in number and being mutually diametrically opposed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,335 Mumm Mar. 29, 1881 1,350,103 Lehmann Aug. 17, 1920 1,556,356 Russo Oct. 6, 1925 2,125,979 Arnold Aug. 9, 1938 

